ADMISSIONS

Admissions

CBS grants admission to Christians who complete the application process, have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, are generally 18 years of age or older; and have the ability, in the judgment of the College, to benefit from the educational programs pursued. Christian applicants who do not meet these criteria may be admitted under special circumstances and individual review. CBS reserves the right, at its discretion, to deny admission to any applicant.

Admission to the College

• Applicants should be Christians who believe that Jesus Christ died for their sins and physically rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

• Applicants should be eager to grow in the faith and to be involved in Christian service.

• Applicants must be in full agreement with the Code of Conduct described in the Student Life section and must comply with those standards from the point of their admission to the College and throughout their matriculation.

• Applicants must:

1. Submit a completed Application for Admission.

2. Pay the applicable application fee(s).

3. Submit an approved form of official, unexpired photo identification, such as a driver’s license or state ID, a passport, or permanent residency card.

4. The College of Biblical Studies-Houston requires all entering students to submit evidence of immunization for bacterial meningitis. The College recommends that all applicants, students, and their families review the list of recommended vaccines that has been compiled by the American College Heath Association (ACHA), with assistance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The College also recommends that all students maintain recommended vaccinations.

All entering students must provide proof of vaccination unless the student meets one of the following:

A. the student is 22 years of age or older by the first day of the start of the semester; or

B. the student is enrolled only in online or other distance education courses; or

C. the student is enrolled in a continuing education course or program that is less than 360 contact hours or continuing education corporate training; or

D. the student is enrolled in a dual credit course which is taught at a public or private K-12 facility not located on a higher education institution campus; or

E. the student is incarcerated in a Texas prison.

5. Applicants who have earned 12 or more hours of transferable college credit must submit official, sealed college and university transcripts from all schools that have been previously attended. Please be advised that applicants who have less than 12 hours of transferable college credit must submit their official high school transcript, diploma, or GED in addition to official college/university transcripts. College courses taken outside of the United States must be evaluated through an approved translation center (e.g., SpanTran, Global Translators…etc.). Please submit all transcripts to:

College of Biblical Studies

Attn: Office of Admission

7000 Regency Square Boulevard

Houston, Texas 77036

6. Complete placement testing (if applicable). For more information on possible exemptions from placement testing, see www.cbshouston.edu/admissions.

Applicants must be able to fulfill the academic demands of a college-level program. Admission to the College does not guarantee admission to all of its academic programs. Program specific admission requirements are cited under each academic program.

Unconditional Admission

A high school education (public or private, including homeschool) or its equivalent is required of all students seeking to be admitted unconditionally. Unconditional Admission may be granted to applicants who have been accepted and have the following on file at CBS:

• A completed Application for Admission

• Receipt of application fee

• An approved, unexpired form of photo identification (driver’s licence, passport, permanent residency ID, consulate ID, etc)

• Official copy of high school transcript* showing the date of graduation, official copy of high school diploma, or one of the approved equivalents to a high school diploma, such as:

– A GED

A certificate of completion of a state authorized exam that the state (in which the exam was completed) recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma (for example, the California High School Proficiency Exam)

– *Please note that an official high school transcript is only required for those who have completed less than 12 hours of transferable college credit (unofficial or official college transcripts must be provided to verify the 12 hours of transferable credit for non-degree seeking students). In the event that a student has more than 12 hours of transferable credit, either 1) a copy of a high school diploma 2) GED or 3) official high school transcripts may be provided.

• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities that have been previously attended. (The inability to provide all college transcripts may result in a denial of admission.)

– Military veterans can obtain transcripts from their particular branch of service through one of the following links:

Army: http://aarts.army.mil/

Navy / Marine Corps: https://smart.navy.mil/

Air Force: http://www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/transcripts.asp

Coast Guard: http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cgi/ve/official_transcript.asp

• Passing scores on placement testing (or qualifying exemptions to placement testing listed below).

Special Admission

Non-high school graduates may be admitted based on special admission requirements provided that the student has the ability to benefit from college-level instruction. Upon analysis of student academic ability and/or performance objectives, non-high school graduate applicants may be: (1) required to take Gateway courses; (2) restricted from certain courses and programs; (3) ineligible for federal or state aid, grants and loans; and/or, (4) required to obtain a high school diploma or GED equivalent prior to degree conferral.

Applicants seeking admission under this category must have completed their sophomore year of high school, or be beyond the age of compulsory attendance (18-years-old in the state of Texas). Course selection and load may be restricted for students admitted under this category. Any student admitted under this category is automatically placed on academic probation and must maintain a “C” average. At the successful completion of 6 credit hours with an established 2.0 GPA (“C” average), the student will be removed from probation, if qualified. These 6 credit hours must be completed within the first 3 semesters of enrollment in the College.

Non-Degree Seeking Students

All students who have not applied to a degree program will be classified as “non-degree seeking.” Non-degree students may enroll for a maximum of 15 credit hours, provided that they have met all individual course prerequisite requirements. Hours taken via audit do not count towards the 15 hour maximum. Neither institutional nor federal aid is available to non-degree students. Admission requirements are the same for these students, with the exception that unofficial college/university transcripts and a copy of a high school diploma may be submitted in lieu of official transcripts until they apply for admission into a program. Those students who desire to continue beyond the maximum of 15 credits should contact Academic Advising to speak with an Academic Advisor regarding program entry. Courses taken as a non-degree student may apply to a degree program according to the curriculum requirements that are current at the time of application to the degree program.

International Admissions

The College of Biblical Studies does not currently grant admission to individuals requiring an I-20 form or anyone who is in the United States on a visa.

Probationary Admissions Policy

An applicant may be admitted to the College with a “Probationary” status. The admission status will be based upon an applicant’s academic or disciplinary records, or other applicable information. CBS reserves the right to review, deny, or approve, on a case by case basis, any applicant for any reason. Applicants who currently are on probation/suspension at the last college they attended will be subject to additional review. An applicant in this category, if subsequently granted admission, will be designated a “Probationary Admission.” To continue at CBS in good standing, it is essential that during the first semester of enrollment, the student maintain at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA (some may be required to achieve a higher GPA as set by the Admission Committee), be in good standing with the College, and comply with any other requirements. Following the first semester of enrollment, the student will be reevaluated, and based upon findings, will be allowed subsequent enrollment without provisions.

RE-ADMISSION

Students who withdraw or are administratively withdrawn from any academic program and/or the College and later apply for re-admission and enrollment will be considered under the terms of the Academic Catalog at the time of re-enrollment. The College reserves the right to deny re-admission to the College and/or a program due to overdue library books, outstanding library fines, outstanding financial obligations or any academic or disciplinary matter. The former student must reapply by completing an admission application at www.cbshouston.edu. Application fees will apply.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit will be considered for acceptance on all regular college credit courses taken at a nationally or regionally accredited institution. The College reserves the right to accept only those courses where the content, objectives, and extent are equivalent to those required for graduation from CBS. Basic equivalency rules are established by faculty qualification standards set by a department chair and/or Academic Dean and implemented by the Registrar. When a decision/exception is needed, the chair of the particular department and/or Academic Dean should approve.

• Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science program may transfer a maximum of 69 credit hours

• Students pursuing an Associate of Biblical Studies program may transfer a maximum of 18 credit hours

• Students pursuing a Bible Certificate program may transfer a maximum of 9 credit hours

Any credits received via credit by examination will reduce the maximum number of transfer credits that can be applied to a program. For example, if a student tests out of 6 hours by credit by examination, the maximum number of transfer credit hours for a Bachelor of Science program is 63 hours and Associate program is 12 hours. A transfer credit evaluation will be completed upon receipt of the admitted student’s external transcripts. The Office of the Registrar will complete the evaluation and return it, along with the external transcripts to the Admission’s office in order to complete the Admissions process. An official transfer credit evaluation will be sent from the Office of the Registrar to the student by US mail and e-mail.

Eligible transfer credits are governed by the following criteria:

• Coursework must be completed at a regionally or nationally accredited college or university

• Coursework equivalent to courses that are or could be offered at CBS

• Coursework completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher

• Course must be taken for a grade (not taken pass/fail)

• Coursework completed on a quarter system basis will be converted to semester hours for CBS credit by multiplying quarter hours by 2/3 to calculate semester hours

• Developmental, remedial, continuing education, and college orientation courses will not transfer

• Six credit hours may be accepted from non-accredited institutions upon review by the appropriate academic department chair(s) or the Academic Dean

Please note that the transfer credit evaluation is unofficial until an official transcript, transfer credit evaluation form, and official degree plan have been approved by the Transfer Evaluator.

Applicants appealing a transfer credit decision should submit a completed transfer credit appeal form for review by the Director of Admission and Academic Dean. Applicants may be asked to obtain course description or syllabus for course(s) under appeal.

CBS maintains articulation agreements with the following schools: Texas A&M Commerce, Lone Star College System, Chafer Theological Seminary, Southeastern Bible College, Philadelphia Biblical University, and Colorado Christian University.

For more information please visit www.cbshouston.edu/articulation-agreements.

COLLEGE CREDIT FOR WORK, LIFE, AND MILITARY EXPERIENCE

More and more adults are returning to school to retain their current jobs, find employment, compete for higher-paying positions, and complete a degree that they started years ago. But the traditional structure and organization of higher education often make it difficult for them to stay in school and graduate. Through College of Biblical Studies, students may have the opportunity to earn additional credit toward their degree through a variety of options. Avenues to earning possible college credit for prior learning experiences are:

• Corporate training, certifications and licenses.

• Portfolio-based Assessments – students can petition for credit through the portfolio process.

• Students pursuing a Bible Certificate program may transfer a maximum of 9 credit hours

• Advanced Placement (AP) Exams - series of tests developed by the College Board initially for AP High School courses, including 34 exams in 19 subject areas

• College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Exams—Tests of college material offered by the College Board

• Military Training and Experience Assessments – credit may be awarded for courses completed by military service schools if this credit is recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Forces (ACE).

Students should contact Office of the Registrar who can provide them with more detailed information into this process.

Credit By Examination

CBS recognizes and honors prior learning by accepting the following examinations by which a student may earn credit. For other than CBS exams, applicants and/or students taking CLEP or AP must provide official score reports from the College Board. Assuming that an acceptable score is attained on an examination, CBS will grant placement or full credit per the guidelines listed. Exams not listed below will be analyzed on an individualized basis for transfers or placement.

*With or without essay

**CBS will not grade the essays for this exam

***Credit hours assigned according to AP test score

Placement Testing

Accelerated Degree Completion Program (ADCP)

All students seeking enrollment into the ADCP must be evaluated as to their reading and writing skills by undergoing placement testing. This testing is scheduled through the Office of Admission (for new/readmit students) and through the Academic Advisor (for current students entering a new program). All entering students must show proficiency in both reading and writing in order to gain entrance into the program. If development of deficiencies is recommended to the student, concurrent enrollment in Gateway courses and the bachelor’s program will not be allowed. There are specific requirements regarding testing and the Gateway program. In addition, students will be evaluated with regard to their Bible knowledge. The testing is scheduled through the Office of Admissions.

Students who meet either of the following conditions may be exempt from taking the reading and writing proficiency placement tests:

1. Students with an earned associate or higher degree from an accredited college or university. Students seeking this exemption must provide an official transcript from all post-secondary schools previously attended including the transcript reflecting the degree.

2. Students whose cumulative grade point average in lower-division English courses is 2.5 or higher. Students seeking this exemption must provide official transcripts reflecting the cumulative GPA.

Traditional Degree Programs

Applicants seeking admission into any of these programs must be evaluated as to their college readiness by undergoing placement testing or qualifying for exemption as listed below. Students must show proficiency in the areas tested to advance in the degree program. If development of deficiencies is recommended for the student, concurrent enrollment in credit and Gateway courses will only be allowed by special permission from the Admissions committee and/or the Academic Dean.

Applicants who meet any of the following conditions may be exempt from placement testing and may be automatically approved for admission in the Associate of Biblical Studies, Associate of Arts, and Bachelor degree programs:

1. Students with an Associate or Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. Students seeking exemption under this clause must show an official transcript citing the degree earned before exemption is granted.

2. Students who have performed at or above the level set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the American College Test (ACT), Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS/ TAKS) Exit Level Exam, Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) or other measurements such as ASSET, COMPASS, MAPS, ACCUPLACER etc. Students seeking exemption under this clause must show official documentation of their test scores before exemption is granted. Test scores are shown in the “Placement Tests” section.

3. Students who have achieved at least a 2.5 (4.0 scale) for 6-credit hours of college-level English Composition.

4. Bible Certificate and A.B.S. in Spanish: Students entering these programs may be exempt by meeting any of the qualifications listed in numbers 1-3 as long as the appropriate documentation is provided. Those students not meeting the exceptions must demonstrate the ability to benefit by successfully completing 6 hours of course work with an established GPA of 2.0 or higher. These 6 credit hours must be completed within the first three semesters of enrollment into the program.

Accelerated Degree Completion Program Introduction

The Accelerated Degree Completion Program format is designed to encourage completing a college degree and reducing the time to obtain that degree. The programs were developed primarily to meet the needs of working adults who are at least 24-years-old and who have completed 69 college credits. The total credits for program completion are 123-147 hours, of which 54-78 hours comprise the CBS core curriculum and must be completed in residence.

Transfer students from accredited colleges, universities, schools or Bible institutes receive full and equitable transfer credit for subjects appropriate to the program curricula. The amount of transfer credit is determined upon receipt and evaluation of the official transcripts of completed work.

ADMISSION/PREREQUISITES

The Bachelor of Science degrees via the Accelerated Degree Completion Programs involve 123-147 hours of curriculum composed of 36 hours of general education courses, 33 hours of general electives, and 54-78 hours of the CBS resident accelerated degree completion curriculum. The lone 147 credit hour degree program is the Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies, Christian Leadership, and Biblical Counseling.

Students must have achieved at least 69 hours of approved college credits, with 36 hours in general education, prior to the start of the CBS resident degree completion curriculum.

Students who have previously earned an accredited Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or equivalent must still meet the General Education requirements attendant to admission into the Bachelor’s Accelerated Degree Completion Program. Prospective Bachelor students must still meet the other admission requirements, including submission of all college transcripts for all universities, colleges and schools formerly attended.

Student Commitment

Students must be admitted into the College and fulfill the requirements for admission into the Bachelor of Science program. To assist in accomplishing maximum academic achievement and monitor academic progress, students must participate in an ongoing sequence of academic advising including development of a degree plan, placement testing, Christian Service Learning Program and any other requirements.

Transfer students desiring admission to the Bachelor of Science Accelerated Degree Completion Program will need to provide:

1. Official transcripts from all previously attended, accredited institutions of higher learning.

2. Official Verification for Demonstrated Competency such as:

• College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)

• Military Equivalencies

• Advanced Placement (AP)

• International Baccalaureate (IB)

• Institutional Credit Examinations

Profile Of Adult Learners

CBS is dedicated to providing college-level programs to adult learners who are:

Goal-Oriented – Those who like a fast pace, follow logical order, and value personal accomplishment.

Activity-Oriented – Those who are social, talkative, multi-sensory, and need action.

Learner-Oriented – Those who prefer to learn for the sake of learning, are outcome-based, and want immediate, direct application.

Process-Oriented – Those who must know goals and objectives, benefits of and need for materials; and draw from experience.

Academic Honors Designations

Please refer to the Academic Honors section in the Academic Regulations section of the Catalog.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Please refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress section in the Academic Regulations section of the Catalog.

On Ground Programs

The following programs are available on ground on the main campus of the College of Biblical Studies:

• Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies and Biblical Counseling

• Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies and Christian Leadership

• Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies, Biblical Counseling and Christian Leadership

Students take only one course at a time in the CBS core curriculum, attending one 4 hour class session, with breakout for small-group collaborative and independent work each week. The courses are accelerated five weeks in length. The program duration is 24-36 months of consecutive semesters, requiring 9 credits each semester from the CBS core curriculum. Students are members of a continuing class, a cohort group, among whom an atmosphere of shared learning; this atmosphere also encourages personal, family, ministry, and career interests to develop.

Online Programs

The following programs are available online at the College of Biblical Studies:

• Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies and Biblical Counseling

• Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership

Students take only one course at a time in the CBS core curriculum, which will require weekly online discussions and additional assignments each week. The courses are accelerated five weeks in length. The program duration is 24 months of six consecutive semesters, requiring 9 credits each semester from the CBS core curriculum. Students are members of a continuing class, a cohort group, among whom an atmosphere of shared learning; this atmosphere also encourages personal, family, ministry, and career interests to develop.

Placement Tests

* This test and scores meet “Ability to Benefit (ATB)” guidelines set forth by the Department of Education.

New Student Orientation

The purpose of New Student Orientation is to prepare and to equip students to have a successful CBS educational experience. All new and re-admitted students are required to attend the New Student Orientation. Orientation for new and re-admitted on-ground students will be held on select days prior to the start of each semester. Online students will complete an online orientation prior to the start of each semester. (See www.cbshouston.edu/orientation.)